MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Honduras Micheletti refuses to resign and tells the US he will stay on until Jan 27

US State Department Craig Kelly

Honduras de facto leader Roberto Micheletti responded harshly to US suggestions that he resign weeks before a new president takes office on January 27.

Micheletti has been serving as president since a June coup deposed his long-time political rival President Manuel Zelaya, who later took refuge in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa and remains there.

“The US wants me to withdraw on January 15” said Micheletti, calling US diplomacy erratic. “Washington should respect the sovereign decisions of our people.”

US State Department diplomat Craig Kelly is currently in Honduras attempting to reunite leaders in the bitterly divided Central American nation.

Micheletti's de facto government has said Zelaya faces arrest on various charges if he leaves the embassy under any terms other than an asylum arrangement in another country. President-elect Porfirio Lobo has hinted that he will be more conciliatory.

Lobo also revealed he has invited to his inauguration Latin American leaders, including Zelaya's leftist allies Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua.

Chávez has lobbied for Zelaya's return to office and urged the international community not to recognize results of Honduras' November election. “If they don't want to come, oh well” Lobo said. “But we've invited them.”

Meanwhile Honduras Prosecutor’s Office requested the Supreme Court issue a warrant for the arrest of the Armed Forces commanders involved in the ousting at gunpoint of Zelaya last June and flying him to neighbouring Costa Rica.

Corruption Prosecutor Henry Salgado confirmed Wednesday in Tegucigalpa he had made a formal request to the Supreme Court involving the Armed Forces chiefs of staff headed by General Romeo Vazquez.

According to the Micheletti regime the military simply complied with an order from a Supreme Court Judge as part of a legal action against ousted president Zelaya for having promoted a vote on presidential re-election which was considered illegal by the country’s Legislative Assembly.

General Vázquez said he would comply with whatever Justice decides.

The Honduran Congress is scheduled to vote on an amnesty for all those involved in the coup that ousted Zelaya last June.